Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252897 times)

Pooperman

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6450 on: January 23, 2015, 12:14:40 PM »
So a guy at work got into a car accident. T-boned a guy, everyone was ok. Says he's T-boned a guy every 4 years in the winter (3 times now, fairly consistent). Says he's gonna get a new car on lease to replace the old one (that was also on lease). I asked if he'd consider a used car, and he told me he's done that and hates having to pay for repairs. I said he's paying more on lease to avoid repairs than I have ever owning my car (10 years almost). He wouldn't hear it. He lives in NYC and honestly wouldn't need a car. At least it's going to be a car (civic kinda thing). Best quote of all of this: "at least the insurance will cover the rest of the lease so I can get a new one". I shudder to think what he pays in insurance on top of the lease price.

gap insurance( the difference between the value of the car and how much you owed the leasing company)  should be build into the price of the lease, or the financing, and its like 500 bucks max.
Had no idea what that was, so I was actually referring to the fact that he's totaled 3 cars in 12 years and can't use the mustachian liability only method. He's a guy under 30. It can't be cheap. I figure it's somewhere in the $200-$300/month range on top of leasing (another $200-$300/month I think). So before gas he's probably paying over $500 just to have a car.

Sibley

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6451 on: January 23, 2015, 12:29:36 PM »
Asked a coworker what he was up to for the weekend. He told me that he was actually going on vacation the next week.

When I pressed for details, I learned that he was flying across the country to Portland OR to go car shopping with his 30-yo married daughter and buy her a car!

We're in engineering, and I'm sure he makes decent money, but wow. Way to set your daughter up to succeed on her own.

I have a friend in similar situation, but the receiver end, will call her 'A'. A is 29, has a useless college degree in terms of defining a clear career path. Mommy and daddy: buy her clothes; paid for college; pay for 98% of her HORSE expenses; bought her a brand new Prius; and just recently basically told her that if she wanted to quit her current (sucky) job, they'd pay her living expenses and pay for more education if she wanted to. Until I started encouraging her to basically act like a grown up, she allowed her dad to handle all her finances. He still does at least 50% of it. She doesn't even get most of the bank statements - they all go to her parent's house.

If I didn't see evidence of progress, I'd be completely disgusted with her. Moral of story: people, please act like responsible parents. They came close to ruining this girl, and they don't seem to even see it.

Apples

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6452 on: January 23, 2015, 12:57:22 PM »
They have 53 paychecks a year more often than the biweekly crowd has 27 paychecks a year, so this phenomenon happens to them more often than the office worker crowd that's getting all worked up about it this year (painting broad strokes here-not everyone cares/is getting worked up about it).  All but one are thrilled with their sizeable refunds each spring, so they probably don't notice the slightly higher effective tax rate. 
Haha oh yea I forgot that there are weekly pay schedules. I didn't realize that until I was looking up the withholding tables that employers use, and saw there was a chart for a weekly pay cycle.

Hahahaha and I didn't really know people had biweekly pay schedules until college when I got paid on one!  I generally knew, theoretically, that people that had salaries usually got paid every other week.  But kind of in the way you know there's a rain forest in Central America, though you've never actually seen it or dealt with it, and maybe some of the people you know have visited there (or get paid biweekly) but you've not seen it with your own eyes.  If that makes sense.  There would be a mutiny if we ever tried to switch to biweekly, which was the point of my post waaaay back on the last page that started this whole taxation thing.

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6453 on: January 23, 2015, 01:03:16 PM »
They have 53 paychecks a year more often than the biweekly crowd has 27 paychecks a year, so this phenomenon happens to them more often than the office worker crowd that's getting all worked up about it this year (painting broad strokes here-not everyone cares/is getting worked up about it).  All but one are thrilled with their sizeable refunds each spring, so they probably don't notice the slightly higher effective tax rate. 
Haha oh yea I forgot that there are weekly pay schedules. I didn't realize that until I was looking up the withholding tables that employers use, and saw there was a chart for a weekly pay cycle.

Hahahaha and I didn't really know people had biweekly pay schedules until college when I got paid on one!  I generally knew, theoretically, that people that had salaries usually got paid every other week.  But kind of in the way you know there's a rain forest in Central America, though you've never actually seen it or dealt with it, and maybe some of the people you know have visited there (or get paid biweekly) but you've not seen it with your own eyes.  If that makes sense.  There would be a mutiny if we ever tried to switch to biweekly, which was the point of my post waaaay back on the last page that started this whole taxation thing.
my husband gets paid monthly!

MandalayVA

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6454 on: January 23, 2015, 02:07:59 PM »
It's not weird, but you're missing out. :) Raw green beans picked out of the garden are my second favorite thing. Most favorite is fresh peas out of the garden.

Raw green beans + homemade ranch dressing = tasty crunchy snack.

I have several coworkers who consider themselves "cooks."  I put the word in quotes because all I hear is "oh, I got this great recipe off of (processed crap food)'s website!"  I'll look it up for shits and giggles, and basically the recipe's along the lines of "open this can.  Open this box.  Mix together.  Bake" and it looks like someone puked in a casserole dish.     

LucyBIT

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6455 on: January 23, 2015, 02:25:04 PM »
When I first heard people talking about k-cups, I thought it was a new larger size of designer fake boobs. Larger than a D-cup, which is already larger than I find attractive.

You realize that K is already a size? Not a particularly uncommon one, relegated to Penthouse spreads?

A friend of mine who is a petite size 10 normally breast fed triplets. She had to get her M cup breastfeeding bra imported from the UK.

Right? Cup size is simply the difference between rib measurement above the waist, right under the breast tissue and bust (roughly around the nipple line) measurement. Each inch goes up a letter. So a 32K would have a 32 inch rib cage and a 43 inch bust measurement. Not freakish at all, especially for a larger frame or a taller person.

Um, yeah. Bravissimo sells up to an L cup (there's a KK in between K and L, too): http://www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/

A small frame is even more likely to give you a high-letter cup size; if your rib cage is small, especially if you have some body fat (the support comes from the band, so you need it snug), your band size can get pretty low, so unless you have small breasts, you're probably not going to wear a B cup. My tiny big sister is just under 5 feet, looks perfectly in proportion, and wears an E cup.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6456 on: January 23, 2015, 02:52:41 PM »
When I first heard people talking about k-cups, I thought it was a new larger size of designer fake boobs. Larger than a D-cup, which is already larger than I find attractive.

You realize that K is already a size? Not a particularly uncommon one, relegated to Penthouse spreads?

A friend of mine who is a petite size 10 normally breast fed triplets. She had to get her M cup breastfeeding bra imported from the UK.

Right? Cup size is simply the difference between rib measurement above the waist, right under the breast tissue and bust (roughly around the nipple line) measurement. Each inch goes up a letter. So a 32K would have a 32 inch rib cage and a 43 inch bust measurement. Not freakish at all, especially for a larger frame or a taller person.

Um, yeah. Bravissimo sells up to an L cup (there's a KK in between K and L, too): http://www.bravissimo.com/products/lingerie/

A small frame is even more likely to give you a high-letter cup size; if your rib cage is small, especially if you have some body fat (the support comes from the band, so you need it snug), your band size can get pretty low, so unless you have small breasts, you're probably not going to wear a B cup. My tiny big sister is just under 5 feet, looks perfectly in proportion, and wears an E cup.

TTIUWP

johnny847

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6457 on: January 23, 2015, 03:09:46 PM »
Hahahaha and I didn't really know people had biweekly pay schedules until college when I got paid on one!  I generally knew, theoretically, that people that had salaries usually got paid every other week.  But kind of in the way you know there's a rain forest in Central America, though you've never actually seen it or dealt with it, and maybe some of the people you know have visited there (or get paid biweekly) but you've not seen it with your own eyes.  If that makes sense.  There would be a mutiny if we ever tried to switch to biweekly, which was the point of my post waaaay back on the last page that started this whole taxation thing.
Haha and then it got better for me when I learned of semimonthly vs biweekly. Seems oh so similar, but one has 24 paychecks a year, guaranteed, and the other has 26 most of the time.
Sometimes I mistakenly say bimonthly instead of semimonthly....if any average American actually got paid bimonthly, they would probably run out of money around 6 weeks in =P

Kris

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6458 on: January 23, 2015, 03:18:58 PM »
They have 53 paychecks a year more often than the biweekly crowd has 27 paychecks a year, so this phenomenon happens to them more often than the office worker crowd that's getting all worked up about it this year (painting broad strokes here-not everyone cares/is getting worked up about it).  All but one are thrilled with their sizeable refunds each spring, so they probably don't notice the slightly higher effective tax rate. 
Haha oh yea I forgot that there are weekly pay schedules. I didn't realize that until I was looking up the withholding tables that employers use, and saw there was a chart for a weekly pay cycle.

Hahahaha and I didn't really know people had biweekly pay schedules until college when I got paid on one!  I generally knew, theoretically, that people that had salaries usually got paid every other week.  But kind of in the way you know there's a rain forest in Central America, though you've never actually seen it or dealt with it, and maybe some of the people you know have visited there (or get paid biweekly) but you've not seen it with your own eyes.  If that makes sense.  There would be a mutiny if we ever tried to switch to biweekly, which was the point of my post waaaay back on the last page that started this whole taxation thing.
my husband gets paid monthly!

As an academic, I get paid once a month, for nine months only (no paycheck July, August, or September).

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6459 on: January 23, 2015, 03:39:05 PM »
They have 53 paychecks a year more often than the biweekly crowd has 27 paychecks a year, so this phenomenon happens to them more often than the office worker crowd that's getting all worked up about it this year (painting broad strokes here-not everyone cares/is getting worked up about it).  All but one are thrilled with their sizeable refunds each spring, so they probably don't notice the slightly higher effective tax rate. 
Haha oh yea I forgot that there are weekly pay schedules. I didn't realize that until I was looking up the withholding tables that employers use, and saw there was a chart for a weekly pay cycle.

Hahahaha and I didn't really know people had biweekly pay schedules until college when I got paid on one!  I generally knew, theoretically, that people that had salaries usually got paid every other week.  But kind of in the way you know there's a rain forest in Central America, though you've never actually seen it or dealt with it, and maybe some of the people you know have visited there (or get paid biweekly) but you've not seen it with your own eyes.  If that makes sense.  There would be a mutiny if we ever tried to switch to biweekly, which was the point of my post waaaay back on the last page that started this whole taxation thing.
my husband gets paid monthly!

As an academic, I get paid once a month, for nine months only (no paycheck July, August, or September).

Hey, you guys get paid?  No fair!

caliq

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6460 on: January 23, 2015, 03:58:23 PM »
Two CWs, both want puppies. I'm all for rescue. We're in Chicago, Illinois.

CW1: I've been thinking of getting a puppy for a while now. I found a breeder in Arizona, the puppies are {insert very expensive breed, I have no memory} are $1250 each. But they have this adorable brother and sister pair, and if I get two then I get a discount on the 2nd.
Me: They're in Arizona, right? How do they get here safely?
CW1: Oh they'll send them on a plane. Both and travel costs are only $5k.
Me: Wouldn't it be a lot cheaper to go to the shelters and find a puppy you like?
CW1: But shelter dogs have so many problems, I really want a pure bred.
CW2: I'm also getting a puppy. I found a breeder in Iowa, they have {insert very expensive breed}, and there's one that's so cute. Only $1000, and that includes transportation.
Me: [unable to process the waste and shame, there's a high probability that these are puppy mills]. ....

Great thoughts right here. Purebreds never have any health problems...

Right. We have rescued every animal we have ever owned, and they have turned out to be the best pets I've ever seen.  Smart, good tempered, kind, etc.  Also, from everything I've seen... breeder dogs have had way more problems than mutts we have found.
I've seen a lot of purebred animals in shelters, why would anyone believe that rescues are always mixed?

Because generally they are, also there are some people for whom when they state "purebred," they are referring to the dog also have a pedigree and papers. I don't know enough, but maybe that is what people are thinking about? In general when I was looking to adopt a dog, I was looking for mixed breeds as I assumed that nearly any purebred would be from a mill and that while a mixed breed dog likely is, I figured that the dog would have less of a risk of hereditary disease. Not sure if I was right in my assumptions, but that was my reasoning.

Haven't been here in a while... anyway update on the 3 puppies. All are very cute (I've seen many pictures). 2 had health problems when she got them, so put in god knows how much money with the vet. She got them healthy, then they promptly ate something they shouldn't have and required more vet trips. They've been good for a while now, so hopefully she's good to go.

The 3rd has been fine.

AHHHH definitely not a good breeder if they're letting people take 2 littermates to the same house :( No wonder she's had high vet bills already :/ 

dorothyc

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6461 on: January 23, 2015, 05:54:20 PM »
AHHHH definitely not a good breeder if they're letting people take 2 littermates to the same house :( No wonder she's had high vet bills already :/

Why is that? Too similar a genetic profile, so suceptible to the same health issues?

gimp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6462 on: January 23, 2015, 06:20:42 PM »
AHHHH definitely not a good breeder if they're letting people take 2 littermates to the same house :( No wonder she's had high vet bills already :/

Why is that? Too similar a genetic profile, so suceptible to the same health issues?

I think it's because breeders love them some protectionist bullshit and think people taking two dogs will breed them together and compete against them. They've got a list of "rules" a mile long as if this isn't a simple financial transaction.

CAtoTX

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6463 on: January 23, 2015, 06:59:51 PM »
I thought mixed breed dogs were healthier because they didn't have those genetic weaknesses that come from the single breeds.  At least that's what my almost-veterinarian daughter says...name a dog breed and she will tell you the issue that they are predisposed to get. 


 

whiskeyjack

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6464 on: January 23, 2015, 10:29:23 PM »
AHHHH definitely not a good breeder if they're letting people take 2 littermates to the same house :( No wonder she's had high vet bills already :/

Why is that? Too similar a genetic profile, so suceptible to the same health issues?

The reason I've heard expressed most often has nothing to do with the dogs being related but just that most non-expert pet owners can't effectively train two puppies and get them to respect and bond with the human instead of always looking to each other.

auntie_betty

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6465 on: January 23, 2015, 11:43:42 PM »

Quote
Hey, you guys get paid?  No fair!

Sorry for keeping it off topic but that reminded me of this Monty Python sketch:
http://www.phespirit.info/montypython/four_yorkshiremen.htm

sarah8001

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6466 on: January 24, 2015, 02:32:48 AM »
I thought mixed breed dogs were healthier because they didn't have those genetic weaknesses that come from the single breeds.  At least that's what my almost-veterinarian daughter says...name a dog breed and she will tell you the issue that they are predisposed to get. 


 

Mixed breed dogs can still have genetic problems, it's just that the problems are unpredictable and have a lower frequency. A responsible breeder will not breed animals as pets and deliberately breed in genetic illness. Many breeders of purebred animals breed for show characteristics instead of the characteristics that make good pets, which is one reason purebred animals have a higher incidence of genetic disorders. There are no responsibly bred mixed breed dogs (or very few) which means that they can have ANYTHING wrong with them, and there is no predicting it. It's a crapshoot anyway you look at it unless you know someone who breeds pet animals responsibly.
I also think there's a tendency to blame all genetic disorders in purebred animals on the breeder, and all genetic disorders in mixed breed animals on bad luck, when in reality, it's always the breeder's fault. I'd rather buy an animal from someone who deliberatley bred it than someone too irresonsible to make sure their dog didn't get accidently preggers. And of course rescuing is always an option, although my experience volunteering with rescues is sometimes they don't really care about individual animals and their values don't align with mine.

oldmannickels

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6467 on: January 24, 2015, 07:31:14 AM »
Eavesdropping on a phone conversation on the bus this am.

"I can't wait to get my tax refund so I can rent a car and move to Atlanta. I hard you can get put on welfare over the phone real quick and rent a 5 bedroom house for $800."


caliq

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6468 on: January 24, 2015, 10:53:14 AM »
AHHHH definitely not a good breeder if they're letting people take 2 littermates to the same house :( No wonder she's had high vet bills already :/

Why is that? Too similar a genetic profile, so suceptible to the same health issues?

The reason I've heard expressed most often has nothing to do with the dogs being related but just that most non-expert pet owners can't effectively train two puppies and get them to respect and bond with the human instead of always looking to each other.

This is the exact reason.  Two puppies from the same litter in the same house will often become extremely attached to each other and suffer severe separation anxiety from each other.  That can be really bad if one of them has an extended vet visit or god forbid passes away early, etc.  They also don't form as strong of a bond with their owners, and are therefore less likely to be well trained.

To have multiple dogs you really are supposed to take extra time to work on training/obedience individually, and with two puppies of the exact same age that's really hard because most people don't want to leave one unattended (for valid reasons, puppies are monsters!). 

It has nothing to do with breeders worrying about competition.  If a breeder is truly serious about maintaining their breed standard and quality of dogs, they wouldn't be selling show quality puppies to Joe Shmoe anyways.  They'd be keeping them or entering into co-ownership agreements with serious show homes, who would take the breed standard just as seriously and never breed two full siblings (nor half siblings, tbh).

Breeders who really value their breed and show their dogs in order to be sure they're perpetuating the best quality of the breed have a ton of rules because they are trying to protect their puppies.  They aren't engaging in a simple financial transaction; in fact most good breeders that do health testing on the parents, showing, and  proper early-life care (high quality food for parents & weanlings, deworming, vaccinations, etc.) for the puppies are barely breaking even, despite charging a ridiculous amount of money for each individual puppy.  To them it's a passion, not a business, and that's why they feel so strongly about how their puppies are treated for the rest of their lives. They really don't want to see one of their dogs mistreated and end up in the rescue world.  Good breeders will actually take back their dogs from the owners if their life circumstances change and they can't keep the dog, and then keep the dog in their home while trying to find it a new forever home.  Good breeders retire their breeding stock after a few litters and then either keep them as pets for the rest of their lives, or find them good homes with trusted people.  That's not a great profit-generating model, it's a compassionate and caring one.

Mixed breed dogs aren't predisposed to any one disorder because no one knows exactly what the mix they're made up of is.  That just means there's a greater variety of potential health issues, but less statistical chance of having any one specific issue.

FWIW, I have a mixed breed rescue and a purebred who was "rescued" by me from her original home after an unfortunate incident involving biting a kid that was harassing her.  I paid nearly $500 in adoption fees for the mutt, and $0 for the purebred.  The purebred's got significant chronic health issues and behavioral issues, but at least on the behavior side I can't really blame anyone but her first owner, though temperament is semi-hereditary and good breeders do consider it when choosing dogs to breed (and I'm on the fence about this dog's breeder tbh).  The mutt came with health issues caused by his mistreatment (abandoned in a box on the side of the road in Arkansas as a 5 week old puppy! :( :( ) but they resolved quickly and he's never had a behavioral issue except for possibly giving too many kisses :D  It's always a gamble.  I've never bought a puppy from a breeder and I'm not sure I ever will, mainly because of the financial outlay for my favored breed (over 1k, sometimes 2k) and my sense of obligation for rescue dogs, many of whom are the product of crappy backyard breeders who are only in it for the money.

sunshine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6469 on: January 24, 2015, 06:10:21 PM »
It would take forever to explain the situation at work today. Let's just suffice it to say I swear I left stupider today for listening to it!

bigalsmith101

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6470 on: January 24, 2015, 06:36:30 PM »
It would take forever to explain the situation at work today. Let's just suffice it to say I swear I left stupider today for listening to it!

Judging by your choice of the word "stupider", I'd declare that a true and honest statement! :)

RetiredAt63

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6471 on: January 24, 2015, 07:41:41 PM »
Just a comment - if she has been a student, and then moving around, she may be getting mail (including banking mail) sent to her parents for consistency.  These days most of the young ones do everything on line.  How do I know?  Because I still get a lot of DD's mail - think of me as a post box.  Once she plans to actually stay in the same place for a second year she will do a change of address.  Its not a big deal for me, if something looks important I will get it to her and 98% of it is not important except for a paper trail.

One of the down sides of retirement is that I have nothing god-awful to contribute to this thread. 


I have a friend in similar situation, but the receiver end, will call her 'A'. A is 29, has a useless college degree in terms of defining a clear career path. Mommy and daddy: buy her clothes; paid for college; pay for 98% of her HORSE expenses; bought her a brand new Prius; and just recently basically told her that if she wanted to quit her current (sucky) job, they'd pay her living expenses and pay for more education if she wanted to. Until I started encouraging her to basically act like a grown up, she allowed her dad to handle all her finances. He still does at least 50% of it. She doesn't even get most of the bank statements - they all go to her parent's house.

If I didn't see evidence of progress, I'd be completely disgusted with her. Moral of story: people, please act like responsible parents. They came close to ruining this girl, and they don't seem to even see it.

sunshine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6472 on: January 25, 2015, 04:22:27 PM »
It would take forever to explain the situation at work today. Let's just suffice it to say I swear I left stupider today for listening to it!

Judging by your choice of the word "stupider", I'd declare that a true and honest statement! :)

Choice of word was for effect. It felt like brain cells were dying by the second.

dividendman

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6473 on: January 25, 2015, 10:11:27 PM »
Choice of word was for effect. It felt like brain cells were dying by the second.

I too feel that I am consistently losing a large number of brain cells in my office via diffusion - yet they don't seem to be making others smarter :P

LokiMom

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6474 on: January 25, 2015, 10:36:40 PM »
What are you going to do with your tax refund?
I have to get a new phone.
What's wrong with your phone? You just got it. Isn't it covered under warranty?
There's a newer model out now. (Said slowly and distinctly as if speaking to someone who isn't very bright.)

LennStar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6475 on: January 26, 2015, 02:15:32 AM »
What are you going to do with your tax refund?
I have to get a new phone.
What's wrong with your phone? You just got it. Isn't it covered under warranty?
There's a newer model out now. (Said slowly and distinctly as if speaking to someone who isn't very bright.)
And that is about 50% of the worlds problems.

Linette

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6476 on: January 26, 2015, 06:31:03 AM »
It always reminds me of Lisa Simpson* vs. Malibu Stacy.

Smithers: "But she has a new hat!"

*Lisa Lionheart or something like that. Don't know the English version of it.

sheepstache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6477 on: January 26, 2015, 08:12:58 AM »
I thought mixed breed dogs were healthier because they didn't have those genetic weaknesses that come from the single breeds.  At least that's what my almost-veterinarian daughter says...name a dog breed and she will tell you the issue that they are predisposed to get. 

Mixed breed dogs can still have genetic problems, it's just that the problems are unpredictable and have a lower frequency. A responsible breeder will not breed animals as pets and deliberately breed in genetic illness. Many breeders of purebred animals breed for show characteristics instead of the characteristics that make good pets, which is one reason purebred animals have a higher incidence of genetic disorders. There are no responsibly bred mixed breed dogs (or very few) which means that they can have ANYTHING wrong with them, and there is no predicting it. It's a crapshoot anyway you look at it unless you know someone who breeds pet animals responsibly.
I also think there's a tendency to blame all genetic disorders in purebred animals on the breeder, and all genetic disorders in mixed breed animals on bad luck, when in reality, it's always the breeder's fault. I'd rather buy an animal from someone who deliberatley bred it than someone too irresonsible to make sure their dog didn't get accidently preggers. And of course rescuing is always an option, although my experience volunteering with rescues is sometimes they don't really care about individual animals and their values don't align with mine.

-ish. Temperaments are part of the breed standard. So if a breed is supposed to be a companion breed, breeders will select for a good temperament. And while many breeders focus on show lines, that just means you need to choose the right breeder for your purposes. There are show lines, pet lines, and working lines. My mother works with australian shepherds and the show lines have big poofy coats that are completely impractical for actually working with livestock outdoors :) The working dogs are a different line and have much thinner coats and often a larger build. But they're all considered to be within breed standard. Aussies don't necessarily make good pets for a lot of families but show breeders certainly keep an eye towards generating good pets because that's how they'll sell the puppies that don't make the cut. And for many breeders of, say, golden retrievers or labradors, that's primarily the market they're selling to.

As you say, the genetics thing is tricky. German shepherds have been bred with a sloped back which has led to greater vulnerability to hip dysplasia. But a responsible breeder is checking family histories to try to avoid that defect. So while a mutt ought to be healthier because of greater genetic diversity, it's often closely related to animals with high vulnerability. And aside from things like labradoodles, which make up a small percentage, people aren't breeding mixed-breeds and thus no one's keeping an eye on their genetic pedigree.


Edit for relevance: On my walk to work today I saw a Rent-a-Center van with the slogan, "Worry-free living is closer than you think!"

Yes! Because worrying whether my couch is going to be repossessed is totally worry-free living!
« Last Edit: January 26, 2015, 09:13:04 AM by sheepstache »

caliq

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6478 on: January 26, 2015, 10:25:09 AM »
Edit for relevance: On my walk to work today I saw a Rent-a-Center van with the slogan, "Worry-free living is closer than you think!"

Yes! Because worrying whether my couch is going to be repossessed is totally worry-free living!

I dated a guy who worked at a Rent-a-Center type place a few years ago, and even though he was the sales manager, he was pretty tall/beefy so they'd sometimes send him out on repos for big stuff.  It was super unpleasant for him because people would either pretend not to be home, get violent/verbally abusive, or parade their kids around and be like "Well junior, this guy has to take away your TV now."  -kid cries- "Oh I know, he's so mean isn't he?"

He was eventually pressured into quitting because they were threatening to fire him for not constantly increasing sales numbers -- he'd try to do the right thing and not sell people something they couldn't reasonably afford but that's not the business model of places like that, and his boss was super cutthroat/gung ho about it.  She apparently would berate the sales floor guys every time someone left the store without buying something, and told my ex that she didn't care if the items got repo'd the next month, the only important thing was getting a sale on the books. 

It was pretty eye-opening for 18 year old me, who was possibly stupid enough to consider buying from a place like that.  Thank goodness I saw the inside scoop before I did anything dumb!

Le0

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6479 on: January 26, 2015, 10:31:53 AM »
Edit for relevance: On my walk to work today I saw a Rent-a-Center van with the slogan, "Worry-free living is closer than you think!"

Yes! Because worrying whether my couch is going to be repossessed is totally worry-free living!

I dated a guy who worked at a Rent-a-Center type place a few years ago, and even though he was the sales manager, he was pretty tall/beefy so they'd sometimes send him out on repos for big stuff.  It was super unpleasant for him because people would either pretend not to be home, get violent/verbally abusive, or parade their kids around and be like "Well junior, this guy has to take away your TV now."  -kid cries- "Oh I know, he's so mean isn't he?"

He was eventually pressured into quitting because they were threatening to fire him for not constantly increasing sales numbers -- he'd try to do the right thing and not sell people something they couldn't reasonably afford but that's not the business model of places like that, and his boss was super cutthroat/gung ho about it.  She apparently would berate the sales floor guys every time someone left the store without buying something, and told my ex that she didn't care if the items got repo'd the next month, the only important thing was getting a sale on the books. 

It was pretty eye-opening for 18 year old me, who was possibly stupid enough to consider buying from a place like that.  Thank goodness I saw the inside scoop before I did anything dumb!

I'm Canadian. I had to Google 'Rent-a-Center'. That's worse than pay-day loans! Do any Canadian's know if we have this up here I have never seen it before.

I am shocked that the 'Rent-a-Center' business model is considered ok business.

Moonwaves

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6480 on: January 26, 2015, 11:13:12 AM »
I'm Canadian. I had to Google 'Rent-a-Center'. That's worse than pay-day loans! Do any Canadian's know if we have this up here I have never seen it before.

I am shocked that the 'Rent-a-Center' business model is considered ok business.
Just looked it up now as well. Seems like they are present in Canada, too (15 locations, according to wikipedia). I remember way back in secondary school learning about different methods of credit and hire purchase was right up there with the rest. My teacher was very scornful though and not at all enthusiastic about the idea. I sometimes wonder if that's why, even though I did silly things with credit cards, I never financed any purchases directly with the company.  Considering that almost every company and shop that sells big ticket item offers some kind of financing though, why is it shocking? Or have I misunderstood what they do?

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6481 on: January 26, 2015, 11:26:07 AM »
I'm Canadian. I had to Google 'Rent-a-Center'. That's worse than pay-day loans! Do any Canadian's know if we have this up here I have never seen it before.

I am shocked that the 'Rent-a-Center' business model is considered ok business.
Just looked it up now as well. Seems like they are present in Canada, too (15 locations, according to wikipedia). I remember way back in secondary school learning about different methods of credit and hire purchase was right up there with the rest. My teacher was very scornful though and not at all enthusiastic about the idea. I sometimes wonder if that's why, even though I did silly things with credit cards, I never financed any purchases directly with the company.  Considering that almost every company and shop that sells big ticket item offers some kind of financing though, why is it shocking? Or have I misunderstood what they do?
It's shocking because the rates are usurius and the only option available in these stores. Nowhere near the financing terms available at more reputable stores.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6482 on: January 26, 2015, 11:31:00 AM »
Let's keep going OT, this is a good byway.  ;-)

Temperament is a big part of a breed description.  I love my Samoyeds and not because of how gorgeous they look (and the grooming they need).  They have wonderful temperaments, they love everyone, they are super good with children and the elderly (just not for being walked by them).  A responsible breeder will always look at temperament - I know someone who had a gorgeous male Golden with great hips, who was dog aggressive - and she had him neutered because of the bad temperament.  A good breeder will look at the home a puppy is potentially going to - exercise, children, etc. etc.  I've seen breeders refuse to sell.  I've also seen breeders send out word-of-mouth about a potential buyer who seems to have the wrong motives (i.e. might be buying breeding stock for a puppy mill).

Goldendoodles - both parent breeds tend to have the same potential genetic issues, so the possibility of hereditary health issues like bad hips is high.  They are nice dogs, and cute in a goofy sort of way, but why? Goldens and standard poodles are both wonderful breeds.  And the prices . . . .  There are lots of other "created" breeds - Mr. Doberman needed a guard dog and he bred one, for example.  But he had a reason.

-ish. Temperaments are part of the breed standard. So if a breed is supposed to be a companion breed, breeders will select for a good temperament. And while many breeders focus on show lines, that just means you need to choose the right breeder for your purposes. There are show lines, pet lines, and working lines. My mother works with australian shepherds and the show lines have big poofy coats that are completely impractical for actually working with livestock outdoors :) The working dogs are a different line and have much thinner coats and often a larger build. But they're all considered to be within breed standard. Aussies don't necessarily make good pets for a lot of families but show breeders certainly keep an eye towards generating good pets because that's how they'll sell the puppies that don't make the cut. And for many breeders of, say, golden retrievers or labradors, that's primarily the market they're selling to.

As you say, the genetics thing is tricky. German shepherds have been bred with a sloped back which has led to greater vulnerability to hip dysplasia. But a responsible breeder is checking family histories to try to avoid that defect. So while a mutt ought to be healthier because of greater genetic diversity, it's often closely related to animals with high vulnerability. And aside from things like labradoodles, which make up a small percentage, people aren't breeding mixed-breeds and thus no one's keeping an eye on their genetic pedigree.


Edit for relevance: On my walk to work today I saw a Rent-a-Center van with the slogan, "Worry-free living is closer than you think!"

Yes! Because worrying whether my couch is going to be repossessed is totally worry-free living!

MayDay

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6483 on: January 26, 2015, 12:20:46 PM »
This is now completely and totally into OT territory, but can I ask about golden doodles?

They are so dang cute.  And if they had even a tiny fraction less shedding than a GR I would be happy.  And if you breed the GR with a smaller poodle you get a bit smaller dog which is nice.  Do smaller poodles have a different mix of genetic issues to possibly mitigate some of the GR issues?

Ethically I have a huge problem with breeding mutts.  Dang, I wish I didn't.  Our last dog was a rescue GR but if we get another dog I'd like a bit smaller and a bit less hairy but all those lovely temperament characteristics of a GR. 

jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6484 on: January 26, 2015, 01:51:49 PM »
Too much foam... so back on topic...

CW's car got totaled. CW was upside-down on that, owing more on the loan than it's worth, since insurance company only pays market value.
CW borrowed from his 401(k) to buy a top-of-the-line new truck.
This CW last year asked me several times about RE investing. He was going to local meetups and the 'mentors' were pushing shitholes for CW to buy; I vetted these properties for the guy. Gave him advice on investing wisely in funds, etc., such as Lazy Portfolios.
So now he is an 'askhole' - someone who asks for your opinion and then goes and does the opposite.
It's his money, whatever....

horsepoor

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6485 on: January 26, 2015, 03:03:57 PM »
This is now completely and totally into OT territory, but can I ask about golden doodles?

They are so dang cute.  And if they had even a tiny fraction less shedding than a GR I would be happy.  And if you breed the GR with a smaller poodle you get a bit smaller dog which is nice.  Do smaller poodles have a different mix of genetic issues to possibly mitigate some of the GR issues?

Ethically I have a huge problem with breeding mutts.  Dang, I wish I didn't.  Our last dog was a rescue GR but if we get another dog I'd like a bit smaller and a bit less hairy but all those lovely temperament characteristics of a GR.

Yeah, maybe a cross on some sort of poodle or wirehair from the pound?  We got our dog from the shelter and best as we can tell, he is curly coated retriever and border collie.  Way less OCD than the BC, and way less shedding than many dogs (such as our other mutt of unknown heritage). 

Neighbors have a BC/GR cross, and it's smaller than a GR, mellower than a BC and sheds less (but prob. more than our dog).  It's a crapshoot, but my understanding is that 'Doodles can be too, because they might get more or less of one of the desirable breed characteristics.

nazar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6486 on: January 26, 2015, 07:51:33 PM »
Overheard this short and painful exchange at work today:

CW1:  Oh my god!  You got hair extensions!
CW2:  Yes, aren't they pretty.  They are the best investment I've ever made!

My inner monologue: Really?  Best ever?  What is the anticipated ROI on those?




auntie_betty

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6487 on: January 26, 2015, 10:32:57 PM »
CW1 to CW2: Can you help me with my tax reference? I need to get my tax return done pronto.

Me to CW1 later on: Problems getting your tax return done? The portal takes a bit of getting used to.
CW1: Yes, and I need to get it done as asap to get my rebate as we won't be getting a bonus.

Wrong on so many levels:
I guessed we wouldn't be getting our bonus a few months back and all staff have access to our financial performance, him more than most.
The most he'd be getting would be around £1.5k after tax.
If he's owed a rebate why wait till the last possible minute to claim it? I did my return in April as soon as I could and got the rebate in May.
CW1 is a director earning £80k as a very conservative estimate and has been on that salary level for around 15 years.

Same CW told me a while back about his great remortgage deal where he would be saving a lot every month, even after adding the fees to the loan. When I suggested paying the same to get it paid off sooner I got a very strange look.

eyePod

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6488 on: January 27, 2015, 06:30:45 AM »
CW1 to CW2: Can you help me with my tax reference? I need to get my tax return done pronto.

Me to CW1 later on: Problems getting your tax return done? The portal takes a bit of getting used to.
CW1: Yes, and I need to get it done as asap to get my rebate as we won't be getting a bonus.

Wrong on so many levels:
I guessed we wouldn't be getting our bonus a few months back and all staff have access to our financial performance, him more than most.
The most he'd be getting would be around £1.5k after tax.
If he's owed a rebate why wait till the last possible minute to claim it? I did my return in April as soon as I could and got the rebate in May.
CW1 is a director earning £80k as a very conservative estimate and has been on that salary level for around 15 years.

Same CW told me a while back about his great remortgage deal where he would be saving a lot every month, even after adding the fees to the loan. When I suggested paying the same to get it paid off sooner I got a very strange look.

They just don't get that cash flow does not equal rich/stability/etc.

I've said it once but I'll say it again, I'm getting a tax guy this year and I hate every second of it. It seems like the same amount of work, but at least I'd have help in case of an audit? I will probably do it myself after this year even though I'll have my eBay business.

nawhite

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6489 on: January 27, 2015, 09:37:01 AM »
I've said it once but I'll say it again, I'm getting a tax guy this year and I hate every second of it. It seems like the same amount of work, but at least I'd have help in case of an audit? I will probably do it myself after this year even though I'll have my eBay business.

I'm a broken record about using tax guys but you get the benefit of a tax professional by going to them the rest of the year and doing tax planning not going in February or March to do tax filing. Software can do tax filing, tax professionals are only worth it if you wring them of information about tax planning.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6490 on: January 27, 2015, 10:29:08 AM »
OK, complete thread hi-jack here  ;-)

Miniature poodles are the in-between size, 10-15" at the shoulder.  My experience has been with standards and toys - standards are great, toys have all the potential behavour issues of small dogs that are not trained properly - my small sample size has zero toys that I would have liked to own, but I blame the owners, not the breed.  Miniatures do have genetic health issues (all breed have genetic health issues) see http://ic.upei.ca/cidd/breed/poodle-miniature, also http://ic.upei.ca/cidd/breed/poodle-standard, http://ic.upei.ca/cidd/breed/golden-retriever.  The biggest problem is when both parent breeds have the same problems, since then the cross is also likely to have issues.

There are lots of wonderful retrievers that are smaller than Goldens.  One of my favourites (but it is not common) is the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever - relatively healthy (http://ic.upei.ca/cidd/breed/golden-retriever), very nice smaller dog.  Seriously, if you are considering a retriever, the AKC Sporting Group is full of them (and pointers) -  go to a dog show, watch to see which ones suit you physically, check what the temperament is supposed to be like, and when you have narrowed it down, talk to breeders.  Good breeders will ask you a lot of question, they want their pet puppies to go to good homes.  There are enough personality differences that there is usually a good fit between the right puppy and the home, where another litter-mate might be totally wrong for that home.

Stanley Coren (psychology professor at UBC, writes books about dogs, had the TV show "Good Dog") had a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - he calls them love sponges.  They are not all that bright, but they sure are lovable.

My favourite mix was a Golden Retriever/Samoyed I met once - gorgeous dog, wonderful personality.  Of course he was almost as big as a Golden, with the coat of a Samoyed - lots of grooming there!

This is now completely and totally into OT territory, but can I ask about golden doodles?

They are so dang cute.  And if they had even a tiny fraction less shedding than a GR I would be happy.  And if you breed the GR with a smaller poodle you get a bit smaller dog which is nice.  Do smaller poodles have a different mix of genetic issues to possibly mitigate some of the GR issues?

Ethically I have a huge problem with breeding mutts.  Dang, I wish I didn't.  Our last dog was a rescue GR but if we get another dog I'd like a bit smaller and a bit less hairy but all those lovely temperament characteristics of a GR.

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6491 on: January 27, 2015, 01:48:36 PM »
Hey, you guys get paid?  No fair!
True story: my wife spent 6 years getting her BA in English education and her masters in TESOL, doing quite a bit of actual teaching in the process. Her first year out of school, teaching part-time for two local colleges, left her so burned out and unfulfilled that she took a job doing medical interpreting. She loves teaching but all the peripheral aspects of the job made her feel so unappreciated that she self-eliminated from the field.
The actual pay was OK for the hours, but the amount of unpaid work became a major frustration, especially when one institution expected not only grading and planning for free, but volunteering for outreach (advertising) events and lots of other such time. It's sad... I'm sad for her. I still kinda hope she gets back into it (albeit a more fulfilling role) someday.

Middlesbrough

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6492 on: January 27, 2015, 09:43:11 PM »
Not overheard, but said. Supervisor forgot he signed off on my unmustachian vacation a couple months ago even though we are in a deep hole workload wise. I am only leaving for a week to sit on a beach and do nothing but hang out with my nephews. I told on CW I wasn't bringing a checked bag and everyone proceeded to lose there sh*t (cube farm so everyone could hear the conversation). I was told I was being wasteful because I get a free checked bag anyway and not using it is a waste. I asked if I was supposed to check an empty bag for the fun of it and my secretary just about exploded from disbelief.

How can you go a week without a bag full of stuff?

Goldielocks

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6493 on: January 27, 2015, 11:07:29 PM »
Not overheard, but said. Supervisor forgot he signed off on my unmustachian vacation a couple months ago even though we are in a deep hole workload wise. I am only leaving for a week to sit on a beach and do nothing but hang out with my nephews. I told on CW I wasn't bringing a checked bag and everyone proceeded to lose there sh*t (cube farm so everyone could hear the conversation). I was told I was being wasteful because I get a free checked bag anyway and not using it is a waste. I asked if I was supposed to check an empty bag for the fun of it and my secretary just about exploded from disbelief.

How can you go a week without a bag full of stuff?
+1. I asked for a new smaller bag for a present as my regulation sized carry-on was nearly half empty when I travel under four days. Honestly, my laptop bag is twice as heavy as my carry-on.   Stuff liberated!

Joggernot

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6494 on: January 28, 2015, 04:32:58 AM »
One carry-on and one briefcase was good for three days work with a day of travel at each end for years.  This was small enough to let me ride a motorcycle for some of the trips and save lots of money in fuel.

rocksinmyhead

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6495 on: January 28, 2015, 07:01:55 AM »
Not overheard, but said. Supervisor forgot he signed off on my unmustachian vacation a couple months ago even though we are in a deep hole workload wise. I am only leaving for a week to sit on a beach and do nothing but hang out with my nephews. I told on CW I wasn't bringing a checked bag and everyone proceeded to lose there sh*t (cube farm so everyone could hear the conversation). I was told I was being wasteful because I get a free checked bag anyway and not using it is a waste. I asked if I was supposed to check an empty bag for the fun of it and my secretary just about exploded from disbelief.

How can you go a week without a bag full of stuff?

This is kind of the opposite, but my boyfriend has started to take great pride in traveling without a carryon. Once he checks his bag, all he has is what's in his pockets, and if he has a magazine for the plane he puts it in my purse. Kinda risky in terms of bags getting lost, but pretty much all our air travel is to visit family so it wouldn't be hard to borrow stuff or a day or two... and it's hilarious how confused people are to see him walking onto the plane with literally nothing, in this day and age of assholes trying to get away with the largest carryon they possibly can (ugh major pet peeve!!!).

johnny847

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6496 on: January 28, 2015, 07:56:25 AM »
This is kind of the opposite, but my boyfriend has started to take great pride in traveling without a carryon. Once he checks his bag, all he has is what's in his pockets, and if he has a magazine for the plane he puts it in my purse. Kinda risky in terms of bags getting lost, but pretty much all our air travel is to visit family so it wouldn't be hard to borrow stuff or a day or two... and it's hilarious how confused people are to see him walking onto the plane with literally nothing, in this day and age of assholes trying to get away with the largest carryon they possibly can (ugh major pet peeve!!!).
Also, if you want to be rerouted because of cancellations and/or delays, it's substantially easier if you don't have a checked bag. One example is if you miss a connection, but your bag does not.


As for me, I've gone to conferences for a week with just a carry on suitcase and a backpack. I am going on a two week vacation in April, and I will be surprised if I can't fit my stuff in a carry on suitcase and backpack. This is despite the fact that this is an international flight and I am entitled to one (maybe two? but I believe one) free checked bag.

I had a conversation with one of my female friends who was like...whoa you can go on a one week trip without a checked bag?? I need to learn how to pack like you!
*sigh*

Rollin

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6497 on: January 28, 2015, 08:07:34 AM »
Not overheard, but said. Supervisor forgot he signed off on my unmustachian vacation a couple months ago even though we are in a deep hole workload wise. I am only leaving for a week to sit on a beach and do nothing but hang out with my nephews. I told on CW I wasn't bringing a checked bag and everyone proceeded to lose there sh*t (cube farm so everyone could hear the conversation). I was told I was being wasteful because I get a free checked bag anyway and not using it is a waste. I asked if I was supposed to check an empty bag for the fun of it and my secretary just about exploded from disbelief.

How can you go a week without a bag full of stuff?

For me "stuff" takes away from the freedom of a vacation.  Too much to manage, organize, keep track of, etc.

I arrived in California for a week in the Mohave Desert (early winter) with a 26 liter back pack because that would fit in the overhead and I didn't want to risk loosing anything in checked baggage.  This had survival gear in it!

Caught a ride up into the mountains with two friends, as they waited outside the airpost with the trunk open to receive my baggage.  I threw my small pack in and they stood there waiting for me to go back in and get my "other bags" and when I hopped in the car they were dumbfounded.  They both had full sized packs (60 liters+ or -), plus a large wheeled bag that had to be checked.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6498 on: January 28, 2015, 08:12:40 AM »
Not overheard, but said. Supervisor forgot he signed off on my unmustachian vacation a couple months ago even though we are in a deep hole workload wise. I am only leaving for a week to sit on a beach and do nothing but hang out with my nephews. I told on CW I wasn't bringing a checked bag and everyone proceeded to lose there sh*t (cube farm so everyone could hear the conversation). I was told I was being wasteful because I get a free checked bag anyway and not using it is a waste. I asked if I was supposed to check an empty bag for the fun of it and my secretary just about exploded from disbelief.

How can you go a week without a bag full of stuff?

This is kind of the opposite, but my boyfriend has started to take great pride in traveling without a carryon. Once he checks his bag, all he has is what's in his pockets, and if he has a magazine for the plane he puts it in my purse. Kinda risky in terms of bags getting lost, but pretty much all our air travel is to visit family so it wouldn't be hard to borrow stuff or a day or two... and it's hilarious how confused people are to see him walking onto the plane with literally nothing, in this day and age of assholes trying to get away with the largest carryon they possibly can (ugh major pet peeve!!!).
Haha

That is me!  And one of the reasons I asked for a smaller bag. Still no checked bags, though.

benjenn

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #6499 on: January 28, 2015, 09:15:36 AM »
I take a week-long trip to Washington, D.C. every year with a group of 80 other people (most of them high school students).  I'm in charge of the group for the week.  I allow everyone to take one checked bag (the airline allows 2) and no carry ons.  (getting 81 people through airport security smoothly is no small feat)

My bag for the week is a 22" carry on size bag (which I also check).  Some of the group (including the adult chaperones) have HUGE suitcases!  If I let them bring 2, they would bring 2 HUGE suitcases.  We provide a t-shirt for every day of the trip so all they have to pack are shorts/skirts/pants/shoes and personal items.  Shouldn't be too much.

I always tell them to make sure there's enough room left in their luggage for souvenirs they'll buy while we're in DC.

It's a direct flight so we don't worry about luggage not making connections.  We have yet to lose any and I've been doing this for 15 years.

It's amazing to see the looks on the faces of the flight attendants as 81 people board the plane with no carry on bags.  It's also funny to see the looks on everyone else's faces when they see my small bag for the week compared to their huge bags.  I always tell them learning how to pack is something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!